Keyboard of key-operated typo-graphical machines



June 29, 931 p .NOLTE 2,085,166

KEYBOARD QF KEY OPERATED TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed June 14, 1935Patented June 29, 1937 UE'E'D ST'E'ES KEYBOARD OF KEY-OPERATED TYPO-GRAPHICAL MACHINES Application June 14, 1935, Serial No. 26,540 InGermany June 14, 1934 9 Claims.

In the use of key-operated typographical machines, such asmatrix-composing machines, typewriters and the like, it frequentlyhappens that the same keyboard has to be used for difo ferent characterarrangements. For example, there are matrix-composing machines which arecapable of using alternatively a plurality of fonts of matrices whichare differently arranged in their respective magazines and call forrespec- 10 tively diiTerent lay-outs for the keys on the keyboard, orwherein such languages as German, Greek, Russian or Hebrew maybecomposed alternatively and wherein a change-over from one language toanother necessitates a change of the keyboard lay-out.

When different alphabets are employed in the same machine, it has beenproposed to employ keybuttons each bearing a plurality of characters,and it has further been proposed to fit the 20 keys with adjustableplates or cover plates bearing difierent characters which can beadjusted individually or row by row.

According to this invention a keyboard is provided with improved meansfor adjusting the 25 keybuttons according to the alphabet actually inuse, the said means being operative to effect the adjustment one row ata time.

The invention further contemplates the adjustment of the keybuttons ofthe whole key- 30 board in common by a single operation. In the case ofmachines wherein the actuation of various parts is necessary to changeover from one type-face to another, for example in matrixcomposingmachines, where a change of matrix- 35 magazines is necessary. Theinvention further includes means whereby the changing over of the 1keyboard can be effected simultaneously with the shifting of themagazines and with the same operating means.

The accompanying drawing illustrates by way of example, twoconstructional forms of the invention.

In the said drawing:-

45 Figure l is a perspective View of a portion of a key lever with itskeybutton;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a key lever, partly broken away, showingthe keybutton in central vertical section;

Figure 3 is a rear view of a number of keybuttons arranged side by side,and the adjusting mechanism associated therewith;

Figure 4 is a plan of the parts shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section as viewed in the direction of the arrows on theline 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing a further constructional form ofthe adjusting mechanism;

Figure 7 is a plan of the parts illustrated in 5 Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the whole keyboard showingan arrangement for simultaneously adjusting all the keybuttons.

In the drawing the invention is represented as 10 applied to a keyboardcomprising, as usual, key levers I, pivotally supported by bolts'2 onpivot rods in the keyboard frame 3. Each keybutton 4 is made in the formof a prism presenting as many operative faces as there are charl5 actersto be dealt with. The arrangement illustrated provides for thealternative use of four diiferent character-bearing faces, and althroughthe following description deals solely with that arrangement,'themodifications of the details applicable to a large or smaller number ofcharacter-bearing faces will be readily understood.

Each keybutton 4 is mounted on an upstanding member 6 of the key leverI, which is provided with a forwardly extending square head 1 (Figure2), adapted to engage a correspondingly shaped recess in the keybutton,thus preventing accidental displacement of the keybutton from theoperative position to which it is adjusted. Moreover, the keybutton isformed with a central opening by which it is guided on a stud 8projecting forwardly from the head 1, and a spring 9 tends to hold thekeybutton in the operative position, as shown in Figure 2. Pins 5,corresponding in number with the operative faces of the keybutton,extend rearwardly therefrom.

In the first constructional form of the mechanism for adjusting thekeybuttons, shown in Figures 3 to 5, a bar 10 is provided for each rowof keys, extending across the whole length of the keyboard which isrecessed beneath each of the keybuttons so as not to interfere with thenormal depression thereof. Moreover, adjacent each key of the row, thebar It is formed with a forwardly projecting ledge H having an inclinededge H Through an aperture in each of the ledges ll projects a pawl l2,which is pivoted on a stud it on the bar it] and held in its activeposition by a spring I3 as shown in Figure 3.

When the bar is moved in the direction shown by the arrow in Figure 3,the, inclined edge I l of each ledge I! is brought into engagement withthe respective keybutton and the latter thereby moved forwardly alongits stud 8 to disengage it from the square head I by which it isnormally locked against rotation. After the keybutton has thus beenunlocked, the respective pawl I 2 comes into contact with one of thepins 5 which then stands in the path of the pawl, and continued movementof the bar rotates the keybutton through an angle of 90 degrees. Whenthis rotary movement has been completed, the bar i9 10 will be returnedto its normal position and the spring 9 will act to re-engage thekeybutton With the head I by which it is locked in the operativeposition. Thus the single actuation of the bar I 8 will effect a changeof the operative face of all keybuttons in one keyboard row.

As above mentioned, there is one bar It] appropriate to each row ofkeybuttons. If desired, all the bars I0 may be connected together andmoved in unison.

According to the second constructional form of the invention illustratedin Figures 6 and '7,

a toothed Wheel 21 is employed instead of the pins 5 on the keybuttons4, and above every row of key levers at the rear of the keybuttons there25 is mounted on the keyboard a shaft l4, provided with a cam l5 and atoothed segment IE appropriate to each keybutton, A complete rotation ofthe shaft M will first bring the cams l5 into engagement with thekeybuttons and move the latter forward along the studs 8, until thebuttons are. free to turn. The segments l6 and wheels 21 then mutuallyengage and turn the keybuttons. The toothed portion of the segments I6is of the proper length to ensure that the keybuttons will be turnedexactly .90 degrees. 'When the toothed segments 16 and cams [5 havetravelled past the keybuttons, the latter, through the action of thespring 9, will again return to the normal locked position. As shown inFigure 8, all the shafts l4 may be provided, at the side of thekeyboard, with pinions I'l all geared together through intermediategears 18, and one of the shafts l4 provided with a hand crank l9'operated by hand, whereby all the shafts l4 may be simultaneouslyrotated in the same direction and an operative change of all thekeybuttons simultaneously effected.

' For operating the devices above described, it is merely necessary toactuate the bars It) or, as the case may be, the shafts M of the rows ofkeybuttons which have to be changed, or all the bars or shafts when thebuttons of the whole keyboard are to be changed. The pawls l2 are springcontrolled so that when the movement of the bars I!) is reversed thesaid pawls yield and pass by the shifting pins 5, which have in themeantime reached the operative position. Naturally, the path travelledby the bars H1, or the length of the segment l6, must be adapted to theangle about which the keybuttons are to be turned, and this angle willdepend upon the number of faces with which the keybutton prism isprovided.

In the application of the invention to typographical composing machinesin which a change of type face calls for the shifting of thematrixmagazines, the means by which the magazines are shifted may beoperatively connected to the keybutton adjusting mechanism so thatadjustment of the keybuttons is automatically effected simultaneouslywith the changing of the maga- Zines. A second cam 20, shown by dottedline in Fig. 6, appropriate to each keybutton may be provided on theshafts M, which will come into action to unlock the keybuttons when theShafts M are rotated in a clockwise direction in Figure 6.

It is to be understood that the constructional forms of the inventionhereinbefore described are chosen merely as convenient examples, andthat modifications or variations thereof may be adopted withoutdeparting from the invention.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a keyboard for a key-operated typo- .graphical machine, thecombination of a row of multiple-faced keybuttons, a pivotal axisappropriate to each keybutton about which it can be rotated to bring adesired face into operative position, a locking device for eachkeybutton rendered active and inactive by axial displacement of thekeybutton and means common to all the keybuttons of the row adapted toefiiect said axial displacement.

2. In a keyboard for a key-operated typographical machine,thecombination of a row of multiple-faced keybuttons, a pivotal axisappropriate to each keybutton about which it can be rotated to bring adesired face into operative position, a locking device for eachkeybutton rendered active and inactive by axial displacement of thekeybutton, and means common to all the keybuttons of the row operable toeffect said axial displacement and rotation of the keybuttons abouttheir axes.

3. In a keyboard for a key-operated typographical machine, thecombination of a plurality of rows of multiple-faced keybuttons, apivotal axis appropriate to each keybutton about which it can be rotatedto bring a desired face into operative position, a locking device foreach keybutton rendered active and inactive by axial displacement of thekeybutton, a device common to all the keybuttons of each row operable toeffect said axial displacement and rotation pf the keybuttons abouttheir axes, and means adapted to operate simultaneously the saiddevices.

4. In a keyboard for a key operated typo-. graphical machine, thecombination of a row of multiple-faced keybuttons, a pivotal axisappropriate to each keybutton about which it can be rotated to bring adesired face into operative position, a locking device for eachkeybutton rendered active and inactive by axial displacement of thekeybutton, a longitudinally movable bar and means carried by said baradapted during its longitudinal movement to effect the successiveoperations of axially displacing and rotating the keybuttons.

5. In a keyboard for a key-operated typographical machine, thecombination of a row of multiple-faced keybuttons, a pivotal axisappropriate to each keybutton about which it can be rotated to bring adesired face into operative position, a locking device for eachkeybutton rendered active and inactive by axial displacement of thekeybutton, a rotatable shaft, and means carried by said shaft adaptedduring its rotation to effect the successive operations of axiallydisplacing and rotating the keybuttons.

6. In a keyboard for a key-operated typographical machine, thecombination of a row of multiple-faced keybuttons, a pivotal axisappropriate to each keybutton about which it can be rotated to bring adesired face into operative position, a locking device for eachkeybutton rendered active and inactive by axial displacement of thekeybutton, a longitudinally movablebar, and cam members and pawlscarried by said bar adapted respectively to axially displace and rotatethe keybuttons during longitudinal movement of the bar.

7. In a keyboard for a key-operated typographical machine, thecombination of a row of multiple-faced keybuttons, a pivotal axisappropriate to each keybutton about which it can be rotated to bring adesired face into operative po sition, a locking device for eachkeybutton rendered active and inactive by axial displacement of thekeybutton, a rotatable shaft, cam members and toothed segments carriedby said shaft adapted respectively to axially displace and rotate thekeybuttons during rotation of the shaft.

8. In a keyboard for a key-operated typographical machine, thecombination of a plurality of rows of multiple-faced keybuttons, apivotal axis appropriate to each keybutton about which it can be rotatedto bring a desired face into operative position, a locking device foreach keybutton rendered active and inactive by axial displacement of thekeybutton, a rotatable shaft appropriate to each row, means carried bysaid shaft adapted during its rotation to efiect the successiveoperations of axially displacing and rotating the keybuttons, and meansadapted to rotate simultaneously all said shafts.

9. A combination according to claim 7, characterized by two cam memberson the rotatable shaft, appropriate to each keybutton, respectivelyadapted to effect axial displacement of the keybutton when the shaft isrotated in opposite directions.

PAUL NOLTE.

